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Audio Magic Stealth and Virtual Dynamics PC

I am curious if anyone is using any of the Virtual Dynamics power cords with their Stealth unit. I just got a demo Stealth unit (6 plugs) and I am very impressed with the sound improvements. I replaced my Panamax 1000+, which was a good surge protector but the sound was not the greatest.

I will always use a surge protector because of bad experiences with my Bay Area power lines (I rent). During last years power crissis, my Panamax 1000+ died saving my system during the power blackouts. Panamax replaced the unit promptly. I mention this because I am reading in this forum that most people are hooking up their VD PC's into the wall socket directly.

Has anyone used both the Stealth and a VD PC with better results than with either of them alone. If this is a good combination, I could get away with using very short length PC's. Are there sonic issues with the PC being very short in length. I could use a half foot power cord just from my pre-amp to the Stealth, if that was available or the way to go.

I have never purchased any PC's so I am unsure of the benefits but I am open minded to give it a try. I am using the OEM (or factory) PC's with the following compoments:

Sony SCD-1 (SACD player)
Yamaha Tuner
Bryston BP-25 (pre-amp)
Bryston 14B-SST (amp)
Bryston XLR (balanced) interconents (SACD-Pre-Amp)
Audio Quest Speaker wire (Calderas, Volcano)
Revel Ultima Salons (speakers)
Audio Magic Stealth

My system sounds amazing to me right now. But if I can get improvements with a PC, why not finish off my system with that.
Thanks for reading.
yyz
yyz OP
98 posts
 
I just spoke with Rick at VD and his opinion on my questions were as follows:

He doesn't recommend the VD into all PLC's but he is neutral on the Stealth. He thinks that should be OK.

With regards to length of cable, he says that he does not believe there are any sonic differences between a 6, 3 or 2 foot cable from his company.

I just order a used Nite form Audiogon. Should be interesting.
4yanx
1,576 posts
 
YYZ, are those your initials, or are you a Rush fan, or have you an affinity for Toronto Intl. Airport? :-)

I live in the Bay Area, too, and share your view that a SP is a MUST. While I have not tried the VD PC's, I have lived very happily with a Stealth for about 6 months. One thing first. Allow at LEAST 200 hours breakin time before attempting to assess any changes you introduce into your system. The Stealth takes forever and three Sundays to breakin, but the time waiting is well worth spent.

I don't think the Stealth is particularly sensitive with regard to PC's between it and the wall outlet. The more important PC's are between the Stealth and your components (a view shared by AM, BTW). That said, there are obvious improvements over the stock PC supplied with the Stealth (and not least of which you will find by upgrading your component PC's, too).

I tried a few combinations with the PC's I currently have and a few others I've sold. I wound up using a HT ProAC11 between the Stealth and my cryoed Hubbell outlet. Then, I used my "better" PC's between the Stealth and components. When comparing the ProAC11 in that position to a Synergistic Res. Master Coupler, Audience Power Chord, PS Aduio Lab II, and a FIM Silver, I found little difference, so I used the ProAc11, it being cheaper.
yyz OP
98 posts
 
I am from Toronto and grew up listening to the hometown band. I understand your airport remark. If you like Rush, check out their second last album (Different Stages??). Unbelievably good. Read some of the reviews on Amazon.com. I can concur with the statements there.

My Stealth is a demo so it already has some hours on it. The Stealth sure sounds better (clarity, detail, blackness in background) than my old Panamax.

From what I understand Audio Magic no longer supplies a PC for the new cryoed Stealth units. I bought mine from Joe at JCAudio and he threw in the old Audio Magic chord which he had lying around.

Your info on the PC's between your Stealth and components is very informative. I have also heard the same advice from some other dealers. I was not going to change the PC between the Bryston's and the Stealth, just the SACD. But if the results from the SACD PC are dramatic then I will have to consider changing the chords to the Bryston. I'll have this nagging, what if, feeling otherwise.

I will research the cords you have mentioned, thanks. I have spent the last 4 months upgrading my system. Kind of getting tired of it now. I just want to finish my system and go back to what I really like to do, which is, to enjoy the music.
subaruguru
1,376 posts
 
You should include the Belden 83802-based PCs in your review. Contact me.
blazter
27 posts
 
When mine first arrived I used an old Pro AC-11 laying around. Sounded good and left it there a bit. Then when I stuck the BMI Whale there the thing changed dramatically, for better and worse. The clarity over the entry HT cord was amazing making the ProAC-11 sound dark and restricted in comparison. The top end really opened up as well s the mids while the bass definition was markedly superior. However, I found the soundstage of the Whale to be VERY two-dimensional and that really bugged me. I tried pulling an Omega Mikro Planar III DC active shield PC I love so much I own three of them there and it really sucked? Strange indeed, but OM tells you they make a Red & a Blue PC and they send you both when you buy them new and you try them and send back the one that doesn't work so I chalked that experience up to trying the Red cord. However, once I got the Elrod EPS-3 on the Stealth then things just went BALISTIC! FWIW, during all this I never touched anything else upstream from the Stealth, leaving my Shunyata Viper V2, Cobra, Omega Mikro Planar III and I believe back then it was a Black Mamba (now a TG Audio SLVR) all in place. SO I guess my own personal experience was to FEED THE STEALTH THE BEST PC from wall to Stealth and let the Stealth pass along all those benefits to the power cords and components upstream? Worked for me but everyone needs to try things in their own system. Teh Nite cable is very good feeding what has now become two Stealth's, since Iadded the Digital to separate things a while back.
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